Canadian Navy declares Victoria-class submarine HMCS Corner Brook ready for Indo-Pacific deployment.

On April 3, 2025, the Royal Canadian Navy announced that the HMCS Corner Brook had completed sea trials and the training required to begin operations in the Indo-Pacific. The Victoria-class submarine entered Vancouver Harbour on the same day for a port visit and is now docked at Burrard Pier. It will remain in Vancouver for the next few days. The Royal Canadian Navy stated that the submarine is not open to the public, although it can be observed from a distance. The deployment of the HMCS Corner Brook is part of Canada’s stated objective to maintain a naval presence in the Indo-Pacific in support of a free, open, and inclusive regional framework.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

During the Noble Mariner exercise in 2007, the HMCS Corner Brook submarine reportedly approached the Royal Navy aircraft carrier, the HMS Illustrious, without being detected. (Picture source: Royal Canadian Navy)

The HMCS Corner Brook (SSK 878) is a Victoria-class diesel-electric submarine of the Royal Canadian Navy. Originally commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Ursula (S42), the vessel was constructed by Cammell Laird in Birkenhead. The submarine was laid down on January 10, 1989, launched on February 22, 1991, and commissioned into British service on May 8, 1992. It was decommissioned on October 16, 1994. The United Kingdom offered its Upholder-class submarines to Canada in 1993 as it transitioned away from diesel-electric boats. In 1998, Canada acquired four submarines, including Ursula, through an eight-year lease agreement valued at US$427 million, plus an additional US$98 million for upgrades to Canadian standards. The agreement included the option to purchase the submarines for a nominal sum of £1 each. The transfer of the submarine to Canadian control took place on February 21, 2003, and it was commissioned into Canadian service on June 29, 2003, as HMCS Corner Brook, named after the city of Corner Brook in Newfoundland.

The submarine has a surfaced displacement of 2,185 long tons (2,220 tonnes) and a submerged displacement of 2,400 long tons (2,439 tonnes). It measures 70.26 meters in length, has a beam of 7.6 meters, and a draught of 5.5 meters. Its propulsion system is diesel-electric, consisting of two Paxman Valenta 16 RPA diesel generators rated at 4,070 horsepower (3,035 kW) and two GEC 5,000 kW motor-generators. The propulsion arrangement drives a single shaft with a fixed-pitch, seven-blade propeller. The submarine can reach speeds of up to 12 knots (22 km/h) on the surface and over 20 knots (37 km/h) when submerged. It has a range of 10,000 nautical miles (18,500 km) at 12 knots and a test depth of 200 meters. The standard crew complement consists of 59 officers and sailors.

In terms of armament, the HMCS Corner Brook is equipped with six 533 mm torpedo tubes and carries up to 18 Mk 48 torpedoes. The vessel originally carried Tigerfish torpedoes and Sub-Harpoon missiles while in British service. These were removed during the Canadian refit, which also eliminated its minelaying capability. The submarine’s fire-control systems were upgraded to include the Lockheed Martin Librascope Submarine Fire Control System, supplemented by components from Canada’s retired Oberon-class submarines. This modification allowed it to fire Gould Mk 48 Mod 4 torpedoes. In 2014, the Government of Canada procured 12 upgrade kits to support the launch of Mk 48 Mod 7AT torpedoes. The sonar suite has also been modified to include the BAE Type 2007 array and the Type 2046 towed array, integrated with the Canadian Towed Array Sonar System (CANTASS).

In terms of instruments, the HMCS Corner Brook uses the Type 1007 radar and retains the CK035 electro-optical search periscope and CH085 optronic attack periscope. Communications and electronic support measures have been updated to include Canadian-specific systems, such as the AR 900 ESM and two SSE decoy launchers. The hull is fitted with elastomeric acoustic tiles to reduce acoustic emissions.

In terms of instruments, the HMCS Corner Brook uses the Type 1007 radar and retains the CK035 electro-optical search periscope and CH085 optronic attack periscope. (Picture source: Royal Canadian Navy)

After entering Canadian service, the HMCS Corner Brook was based on the east coast in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It participated in domestic and multinational training operations, including NATO’s Noble Mariner and Noble Warrior exercises. During Noble Mariner in 2007, the submarine reportedly approached the Royal Navy aircraft carrier, the HMS Illustrious, without being detected. In the same year, the submarine participated in Operation Nanook in the Arctic region. In February 2008, the vessel deployed to the Caribbean Sea as part of a three-month operation with the United States Joint Interagency Task Force South. It returned to Halifax in May 2008. In 2009, it was used as a target for submarine detection exercises by the HMCS Halifax and the HMCS Montréal and took part in additional multinational exercises in the North Atlantic and off the coast of Florida. Later that year, it again participated in Operation Nanook.

In 2011, the HMCS Corner Brook participated in Operation Caribbe before relocating to the west coast for redeployment to Esquimalt, British Columbia. On June 4, 2011, while conducting manoeuvres off Vancouver Island in Nootka Sound, the submarine struck the seabed at a speed of 5.9 knots in 45 meters of water. The incident caused a 2-meter hole in the bow, and two crew members sustained minor injuries. A board of inquiry later identified human error as the cause of the grounding. Initial repair work began following the incident, although the process and cost were unclear at the time due to existing contract limitations.

The vessel entered an Extended Docking Work Period (EDWP) in 2014, initially scheduled to conclude in 2017. However, in April 2019, while still in drydock at CFB Esquimalt, the submarine experienced a fire. The cause of the fire was undetermined. In 2020, a pressure test of the ballast tanks resulted in an over-pressurization incident caused by the rapid use of pressurized air to empty the tanks, which led to a rupture. Although a full structural repair was assessed as not cost-effective, the vessel was restored to operational condition with continued monitoring recommended. The submarine was expected to return to service in mid-2021 and to remain operational for approximately nine more years following the completion of the refit.